Something to Smile About

As 2020 draws to an end, there is good reason to smile. Dustin Pfundheller is in town. Don’t know the name? You will soon. Pfundheller owns and operates The Smile Mission, a brand-new dental clinic that is reinventing dentistry and orthodontia as we know it.

Dr. Dustin (as he likes to be called) is new to South Florida. Originally from Wisconsin, where life is simpler, more personal and honest; he’s bringing those qualities here to his practice. After graduating dental school at the University of Florida, Dr. Dustin jetted around the world on dental missions. He’s treated people from Albania to Zimbabwe. While on these humanitarian service endeavors, Dr. Dustin pioneered a lot of modern techniques. He’s now brought those home and doubled down on technology.

The second you walk in the door, you know you are in a special place. The white walls are lined with photos of Pfundheller in the many countries he’s done service work. “We want people to understand this is our mission. It is our goal to make people smile.” There are two waiting rooms, one for pediatrics and the other for adults. He handles everyone from infant to seniors. The staff is bi-lingual, friendly and knowledgeable.

“Growing up, I had a lot of family members who struggled with pain from dental care and I made it my life mission to change that, and make it affordable,” explained Dr. Dustin. “It’s crazy that here in the USA, the richest country in the world, so many can’t afford healthcare, so I’m trying to do my part and at least fix the cost of dentistry.”

The Smile Mission is located in a warehouse-looking building at 9900 SW 168th Street. Certainly, a non-traditional location, but then again, everything Dr. Dustin does is non-traditional. “First, I’m not right on the Highway. This lowers my cost. But I also get the benefit of more parking and added office space,” remarked Pfundheller. “I have more dental chairs than most practices because I’ve learned there is significant efficiency in moving my hygienists between patients that are already seated. That allows me to make my bills a lot more affordable.” In fact, dental cleanings are always just $50, less than half what others typically charge.

While the incredible savings may lead some to believe they are not getting great service and environment, they’d be wrong. Dr. Dustin’s dental chairs are equipped with large TVs and wireless headsets. “I’ve found that dentist office noises are the things that most worries patients, so we’ve found a way to minimize them. We also have wall and ceiling monitors that allow our patients to see real-time views of the 3-D scanning we do for certain procedures. This also lowers the worry factor.”

Galina Aguirre was Dr. Dustin’s very first patient. She was so impressed, four days later she brought in her daughter and her boyfriend for treatment. “I’ve been to several dentists in the past and never felt comfortable with them,” explained Aguirre. “The others always inflated what services I needed and charged a fortune! When I came here, they were friendly, honest and down-to-earth. I also paid 75% less than what I was quoted elsewhere! Dr. Dustin is great and he really cares about his patients!”

One of the biggest secrets to Dr. Dustin’s homestyle success is what goes on in-house, behind closed doors. For a crown, the typical office takes measurements and then puts in a temporary until an outside lab produces the final product 2-3 weeks later. This means two visits for the patient and lots of expenses involved. At The Smile Mission, 3D scanning is done of the patient’s mouth and then the crown is designed, milled and installed in about 90 minutes! One visit and no chance for pain, sensitivity or having a temp fall out. Dr. Dustin exclaimed, “Within the day, you have your permanent tooth, at a fraction of the cost!”

Similar to crowns and implants, Pfundheller 3D prints and manufactures dentures and “Invisalign” braces the same manner. It saves tons of time and money. Dr. Dustin estimates less than one-half of 1% of other practices are doing things in-house this way. Further, unlike other practices, The Smile Mission takes almost any insurance (70+ policies at the grand opening, including Medicare and Medicaid).

“We’re a compassionate practice who isn’t trying to go for your wallet. I strive to regularly price my services at 60-80% less than others do,” touts Pfundheller. You can read more about The Smile Mission at thesmilemission.com, but Dr. Dustin would rather readers of this article call directly to 786-673-1660. The Smile Mission is open seven days a week!

Dr. Dustin also has a great YouTube channel that highlights his worldly travels named Other Side of Truth.